Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity celebrates 200th family with Redmond project completion
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Building homes for affordable homeownership since 1989, Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity recently celebrated serving its 200th family with the completion of 10 affordable townhomes and nine accessory dwelling units in Redmond.
Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity has much to celebrate with this project. Mellissa Kamanya, Director of Grants Management, said, “Welcoming home our 200th family to a life transformed by homeownership is a significant milestone for our organization! In the same moment, we are honoring a total of 10 families who are proud new homeowners at this site!”
These townhomes are Bend-Redmond Habitat’s second Net-Zero project built with extra energy efficiency measures and environmental sustainability in mind. It also their second permanently affordable project, establishing an enduring legacy of affordable homeownership in Redmond by only reselling these to low-to-moderate income families.
An exciting first for Bend-Redmond Habitat, by working closely with the City of Redmond, nine Accessory Dwelling Units were also built at this location and are permanently established for affordable housing.
Bend-Redmond Habitat’s 200th family is a single father of two young children. After a difficult divorce, he moved with his children into his parents’ basement to try to get back on his feet. He worked hard to save money for a space of their own, but with the high cost of housing and two children to care for, it felt like an impossible dream.
He says that he “can’t wait to feel like my kids are in a safe community, where I know everyone and where everyone supports each other.” As he is preparing to move in, he looks forward to living near a park and giving his children a bedroom of their own.
Habitat successfully provides affordable housing because of widespread support from donors, state and city partnerships, community members and volunteers. Oregon Housing and Community Services is one of the main project sponsors for this site.
Becky Isom, Senior Program Manager at OHCS, said, “We know the need for housing in Central Oregon is significant, and we can only reach our goal of providing housing for all people of Oregon by creating durable and sustainable partnerships that address the root causes of the housing crisis. We are so proud that by using resources provided by our agency, Habitat for Humanity was able to quickly get to work on the project and start construction within less than a year.”
John Roberts, Redmond’s deputy city manager, said, “In partnership with the City of Redmond, Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity has built affordable housing that is bringing stability to our workforce and neighborhoods. These affordable townhomes and ADUs are creating long lasting legacies of hope and change for hard working families in Redmond.”
Bend-Redmond Habitat is one of the few affordable housing builders in Central Oregon providing opportunities for homeownership for low- to moderate-income people who are housing-unstable and make 40% to 80% of the area median income.
With their homeownership program, families & individuals are required to volunteer hundreds of hours as the down payment for the home, attend monthly financial education classes and participate in a matched savings program for the closing costs. When those requirements are fulfilled and the house is constructed, the families and individuals purchase it with a below-market rate loan for 30 years.
Habitat isn’t building these homes on their own. In fact, it takes roughly 5,000 people, directly or indirectly, partnering on each home so that people have a chance at a different life. A home creates an opportunity to become stable, for security, a feeling of tranquility and empowers people to become better. To learn how you could support Habitat to build and serve more, visit www.bendredmondhabitat.org.
About Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity
Bend-Redmond Habitat builds strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable homeownership for families and individuals in Bend and Redmond. We are dedicated to changing lives by bringing people together to help make a difference in our communities through affordable housing. Since 1989, Bend-Redmond Habitat has served 200 families with affordable homeownership and repaired homes, providing more than 1100 children and adults a safe, secure and healthy home. bendredmondhabitat.org 541.385.5387.
The Bend ReStore is a home improvement resale center that accepts and sells a wide variety of building materials, appliances and home furnishings. All proceeds from the ReStore benefit Bend-Redmond Habitat’s mission. For more information, restorebend.org, 541.312.6709.
